Professional Liability

Usually, yes. "Malpractice" is the common healthcare term for professional liability. The policy forms and coverage triggers are essentially the same; the name varies by carrier. Both protect your agency against claims arising from the care and professional services your team provides.

No. General liability covers third-party bodily injury and property damage. It doesn't cover claims that your professional services caused harm. They're separate coverages, and a complete program needs both.

Most agencies start at $1 million per claim and $3 million aggregate. Agencies contracting with managed care organizations, hospital systems or government programs are often required to carry more. We set limits based on your contracts and risk profile.

It's the earliest date from which incidents are covered. An incident before the retroactive date isn't covered, even if the claim is filed during the policy period. When you switch carriers, the new policy's retroactive date must match your prior coverage to avoid a gap.

It covers claims that you hired or placed a nurse, aide or therapist without properly verifying their license, background, skills or references. It's essential for medical staffing firms and valuable for every home health and hospice agency, especially with high caregiver turnover, and it isn't automatic on every policy.

It depends on your contracts with them and your policy terms. Some agency policies extend coverage to contractors working on the agency's behalf; others don't. This is one of the most common coverage gaps in the industry, so Misty reviews it specifically for agencies using 1099 workers.

Some policies include defense costs for regulatory matters such as state licensing board or CMS investigations. It isn't standard on every policy, so we confirm it when comparing options.

For most agencies, Misty can present a quote within a few business days of receiving your application and supporting information.